Vaporizing device



April s, 1952 L. c. HUFF VAPORIZING DEVICE Filed May 20. 1949 '000000090000001000000-00000000000M0N0N:

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Patented Apr. 8, 1952 FFICE y vAPoRIzING DEVICE Lyman Huff, Evanston, Ill., assigner to Universal Oil Products Company,

corporation of Delaware ApplicationMay 2o, 1949, serial No. 94,404

` solaires. (01.21-120) .A i 'l This `invention relates y izing apparatus or device particularly suitable to eifect the vaporization of medicinal crgermicidal liquids, as well as deodorants and the like.- y

The presen-t'inventionv is directed4 toan im-v proved andfdesirable construction for vaporizing relatively small amounts of liquid intov the air. of ahome or small oice, the amount being smallv in comparison to that whichmust `be `vaporizedV and passed into air conditioning or circulating systems of large offices or factories. For example, it has recently been determined that smallquanti- `ties of triethylene glycolyaporized into theairuof a room or building is very eiective in killing air; borne bacteria and virus type of germs.,` This particular material is odorless and harmless to humans, but by reason of its killing and sterilizing eiTect on nearly allair-borne germs, it has proven desirable in preventing colds and other diseases such as measles, chicken pox, diphtheria,` mumps and the like. l l f l It is also an object of the present invention to Aprbvide a device of relatively simple construction that may be easily lled withva material for vaporization and which is portable so thatl it may be placed readily in any desired location.

It is a still further object of 4the'.invention'to provide a heating means and a wick arrangement which permits regulation and control of the quantity of liquid to be vaporized. Y i Briefly, the present invention provides a liquid vaporizingdevice or apparatus which comprises ln` combinationan open-ended stack or flue, a

ycontinuous convoluted liquid retaining and wickholding trough positioned intermediately' within the stack, a liquid supply means connecting lto the trough, a continuous band of wicking within the trough, heating means in the lowerA portion of the stack belowfthe wick trough, and air-inlet means at the lower end of the stack below the heating means, whereby air may be heated and to an improved vapor- Chicago, Ill., a

` lThe reservoir supplying liquid to the trough is passed upwardly and around the wick in order to ,vaporize and disseminate the particular medicinal or other type liquid. i e j It is a particular advantage of the designA and 4constructi'onof` the vaporizer of this invention Ito providethe wick retaining trough in a convoluted or spiral shape in order that the wick material may be placed in the trough in a vcontinuous band and provide a relatively large area Aor surface `from which liquid may be vaporized by a heated and upwardly flowing stream. The trough is preferably of a relatively narrow construction and the various convolutions spaced from lone another such that the air stream can pass therebetween.

preferably placed outside the stack such that it may be readily supplied with the desired liquid. The reservoir may be in the form of an open tank or alternately, may provide a receptacle to ac* commodate a bottle or tank of desired liquid which in turn feeds the reservoirandl the wick Aretaining trough through a self-feeding cap or the'lke."

The heating means may bea light bulb oran electric resistance coil such that electriccurrent may be utilized to supplythe source of heating and causing a convectionjcurrent of air upwardly through thestack. A vertical stack arrangement is also desirable in that many forms of covers or housings may be placed around the stack Vand liquid reservoir' and provide a device which-is pleasing to the eye. f

The rate of vaporization may be regulated and controlled through the regulation of the heating means, as well as by using various vlengths of wicking within the liquid supplying trough.

Other features and advantages will be apparent upon reference to the accompanying drawing and the following description thereof.

Figure 1 of the drawing is an elevational view, partially in section, indicating one embodiment of the vaporizing apparatus. v i

Figure 2 of the drawing is a sectional plan view indicating the placement of the Wick retaining troughwithin the stack, as indicated by line 2 2 in Figure 1 of the drawing. i M

Figure 3 of the drawing is a'sectional plan view through the lower portion of the stack asiindicated by line 3-3. i 1

- Figure 4 is a sectional view through one type of wick retaining trough, indicating the positioning of the wicking. I

Figure 5 of the drawing is an elevational View of amodied form of the apparatus. Y y i f Referring now to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing, there is shown a vertical stack l which rests on a base 2 and has an open upper end. The lower end of the stack I is raised above the base 2 by suitable legs, or has a plurality of slots or perforations 3 such that air may be drawn in at the lower end of the stack and passfupwardly therethrough. In this embodiment, a light bulb 4, having a suitable socket 5, provides the means for heating the air and providing a convection current through the stack I. A cord 6 passing through the base 2 is provided to connect'the socket and bulb'with a suitable electrical energy source.

At a point above the light bulb 4, or at an intermediate position within the stack l, there is provided a convoluted or spiraliform wick retaining trough 1 that is adapted to retain a continuous band of wicking 8. The trough I is .positioned and supported in the stack by means of suitable lugs or brackets 9 and one end of the trough extends through the stack to a suitable reservoir 9. As is shown in Figure 2 of the drawing, the wick retaining trough 'I is of relatively narrow construction having a cross section suitable to hold and retain the lower edge of a band of wicking, and the construction is such that the plurality of inwardly spiralling convolutions are spaced from one another, permitting air to pass upwardly through the internal portion thereof and around the band of wicking material which is maintained saturated by the liquid supplied to the reservoir I II, and therefrom to the trough 1.

In this embodiment, the reservoir I is` supplied with liquid from an inverted tank or bottle Il,` which in turn feeds liquid to the reservoir through a self-feeding cap I2. The latter may be of a usual type suitable to supply and maintain aV desired level in a trough. However, it is not intended toy limitthe presentinvention to having liquid supplied through any particular typeof reservoir or selffeeding mechanism, for

as has been noted hereinabove, an open' reservoir or tank may be utilized, or in addition, liquid may be supplied through a suitable line having now regulating means.

In, operation, it may be seenthat the air within stack VI is continually heated by the bulb 4 and a continuous convection currentY set up that will pass air upwardly through and around the wicking 8, causing vaporization of the liquid and dissemination of vapor to a room, by the air stream issuing from the topi end ofk the stack. Various size. bulbs may be used to provide a varying heat supply, or alternately, with electrical energy, a suitable rheostatY or the likevmay be used to vary the energy supplied to the resistance element of thebulb; In order to supply higher temperatures, other conventional forms of electrical resistance coils may be used in the lower portion of the stack I, in lieu of the bulb d. It

is also a feature of the embodiment of Figure 1 to utilize an inner metal sleeve I3, which is 'provide increased surface area, and extends for substantially the full height of' the stack. The annular space between the sleeve I3 and the stack I also provides an air space through which a continuous current of hot air will flow upwardly back of the sleeve and prevent condensation of any of the vapor within the upper part of the device.

For appearance purposes, a suitable shade I4 is placedaround the stack and the liquid supplying reservoir Illv and bottle or container II. Thus, the device maybe made to look like an ordinary type of lamp and permit its use i` a home or. office, while at the same time the,V compact form provides an apparatus or deviceA that may be readily moved from one positiony in a house or room to another. In the embodiment of; Figure 1, a ring or band I extends: upwardly from the base 2 and around the slotted;fend` of the stack I in order to hide the slots or perforations 3 which are provided for air intake purposes, and thus. where a lamp bulb 4 is used as a heating means, the band I5' provides a reflector for light passing out of the holes and thus causes a light to shine upwardly along the base of the stack I to give a pleasing appearance.

Figure 4 of the drawing indicates a method for constructing the trough 1 and for holding the wick 8 therein at a proper elevation. The wick retaining trough 1 Vis formed in this embodiment by means of two side plates 1 and a rod I6, the latter is brazed or soldered between the plates to form a bottom member and the plates 'I' are sufciently close together to hold the lower edge of the band of wicking 8 in a relatively tight slip t. It is not intended to limit the present invention to this'particular type of construction for the convoluted wick retaining trough; however, the rod and side plate construction may be readily formed and shaped into a spiral or convolute form in accordance with this invention as the means for holding a continuous band of wicking. It is also desirable toutilize a partially open or perforated spacer IIl on top of the rod I6 and belowr the bottom edge of` the wicking 8, in order to insure the travel of the liquid mediumthroughout the entire length of the trough and the maintenance of the band of wickingr 8 at a uniform height throughout the entire length of the trough. The spacer I1 may be a chain, a helical coil spring, or likemember, extending for the full length of trough 1. The presentV drawing shows an open coil spring as the spacer Il. placed within the bottom of the troughv I and the lower edge of the band of wicking 8 isv wedged down into the trough 'I untilit rests on the top of the spring.

In Fig-ure 5 of the drawing, there is shown a modified forml of the apparatus,- having a diierent heating element` than that: utilizedv in Figure 1, and a diierent form of housing or covering around the stack, while the other parts of the apparatus are substantially as shown and described in Figure 1 of the drawing. The v ertica-l stack I8 is supported on a base I9 and has suitable openings 20 at the lower end thereof and an open upper end, such that air may be passed upwardly therethrough andv carry the vaporized liquid. The electrical heating element or resistance coil 2l.` is positioned horizontally within the lower portion of the; stack I8 and is supplied with electrical energy through an electrical connector 22. The coil 2l, is of course, supported and spaced in an open grid-like form permitting air topa'ss' upwardly therethrough without any substantial blocking of the flow. The supporting member 23 is necessarily of some insulating or non-conducting material such as poreclain or the like. Positioned above the heating element is a spiraliformed wick retaining trough 24 and wick 25 such as has been shown and describedv in connection with Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing; Similarly, a reservoir 26, having aliquid supply source froml abottle or tank 2l, is connected with the troughA member 24. In this modied form of the device', a coneshaped housing or coverV 28 is provided around the stack member I8A and is supported on a lower bowl-shaped section 29.,

The operation of the vaporizer indicated in Figure 5V is substantially the same as that shown and described in connection, with Figure 1V of the drawing. Theheated air s treampassesupwardly through the stack member I8 passing. between and around the wicking 25` such that the. hot air stream and the vaporized liquid is disseminated through the open top end of the stack.

The rate of vaporization may similarly be controlled by means of regulating the length and height of the band of wicking maintained within the trough 2B, and by the electrical energy v nished looking apparatus that is not of an unsightly nature.

The embodiment of Figure 5 does not have the inner sleeve, which was shown in' Figures 1 and 3 of the drawing as sleeve I3, although it is desirable to provide additional heating surface for the unit and a means of preventing condensation of the liquid within the top end of the stack. An inner sleeve also aids in cooling the lower end of the stack member, however, where condensation is not a problem, and where the stack itself is covered up at the lower end thereof, as in Figure 5, it may not be necessary to provide the inner sleeve. It is, of course, not intended to limit the operation of the present vaporizing apparatus to being used with any particular medicanent, germicide or deodorant, for obviously, many types and forms of liquids may be used to suit a desired purpose or, if desired, the apparatus may be used as a humidifier to provide water vapor in a room.

I claim as my invention:

1. A liquid vaporizing apparatus comprising in combination an open-ended stack, an elongated liquid retaining and wick holding trough extending in a horizontally ilat convolute form and positioned intermediately within said stack, a continuous band of wicking having its lower edge positioned within said trough, a liquid reservoir connecting to said trough, heating means within the lower portion of said stack below said trough, a stack supporting base and air inlet means at the lower end of said stack below said heating means.

2. A liquid vaporizing apparatus comprising in combination an open-ended vertically disposed stack having an untreated air inlet at its,

lower end and a treated air outlet at its upper end, a continuous liquid retaining and wick holding trough extending in a iiat inwardly spiralling convolute form supported horizontally within said stack, a continuous band of wicking supported within and extending upwardly from said trough, a liquid reservoir connecting to one end of said trough and positioned exteriorly of said stack, an adjustable heating means within the lower portion of said stack below said wick retaining trough, air inlet means at the lower end of said stack permitting air to pass upwardly through said heating means and said wick holding trough, a stack base, and a housing encompassing said stack and liquid reservoir.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further characterized in that said heating means comprises electrical resistance heating means and current adjustment means connected therewith.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 still further chal'- acterized in that an inner sleeve is positioned within and spaced from the inner wall of said stack throughout substantially the full height of the latter, providing additional heating surface and a shield reducing the temperature of said stack.

5. A portable liquid vaporizing apparatus comprising in combination, a vertically disposed stack, having an open upper end and air inlet perforations at the lower end thereof, a single continuous wick holding trough extending in a flat spiral at an intermediate level within said stack, one end of said trough extending through said stack and connecting with a liquid supplying reservoir positioned exteriorly of said stack, a removable continuous band of wicking having its lower edge supported within said trough, a base below said stack, an electrical lamp bulb and socket within the lower portion of said stack below said trough, suitable to create an upward draft of heated air through said stack and said trough in contact with said band of wicking and for volatilizing the liquid supplied to said trough, a corrugated sleeve Within said stack providing an annular air space along the inner wall thereof, a light reflecting band spaced from the lower portion of said stack around the air inlet perforations whereby light from said bulb and being emitted from said perforations is reected upwardly around the exterior of said stack, a lamp type of shade supported around the upper portion of said stack and said reservoir.

y 6. The vaporizing apparatus of claim 5 further characterized in that said wick holding trough is constructed of separate side and bottom members permitting the formation of said trough into a continuous convolute, and perforate spacing means within the trough suitable to hold the lower edge of said wicking at a uniformly spaced distance above the bottom of said trough.

LYMAN C. HUFF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,047,973 Lawton et al. July 21, 1936 2,152,466 Clyne Mar. 28, 1939 

